The present invention relates to a magnetic force microscope.
Conventionally, as an apparatus for measuring a local magnetic field on a surface of a magnetic body, there have been used magnetic force microscopes utilizing a leaf spring having a ferromagnetic probe at an end portion thereof. For instance, Appl. Phys. Lett. 57,1820 (1990) discloses such an apparatus.
In these conventional magnetic force microscopes, a magnetic thin film has been formed on a metal probe, or a silicon or nitride silicon probe by sputtering, vacuum deposition or metal plating to be used as a ferromagnetic probe. However, since the magnetic characteristics differ depending on the probe, the sensitivity of the detected magnetic field fluctuates and it has been difficult to measure an absolute value of a detected magnetic field. Further, since the prior art does not include a means for magnetizing the probe, it has been impossible to increase the magnetic sensitivity of the probe.